Switching Destinies
by Lahel
Summary: Prompt: Levi and Eren switch places as Humanity's Strongest and Humanity's Hope. T for language.


**Shingeki no Kyojin does not belong to me.**

**Prompt: Levi and Eren switch places as Humanity's Strongest and Humanity's Hope.**

**Me: It won't make that much of a difference.**

**Friend (Alice): OF COURSE IT WOULD! THEY'RE SO DIFFERENT, STU~PID!**

**Me: They're both obsessed with killing titans, no?**

**Alice: Well prove it.**

**THIS IS THE PROOF.**

* * *

"Levi." Mikasa gently put her hands on her brother's shoulders.

_What was that?_

"Levi!"

"Hm..?" Levi opened his eyes.

"Wake up. Get back home now, it's going to be dark."

"...Uh?"

The wind blew, and leaves fell from the trees, messing up Mikasa's dark hair.

"Mikasa... Your hair... It's filthy; there are leaves on it."

Mikasa's eyebrow lifted. "You were sleeping tight enough to spout that kind of nonsense upon waking up?" she said incredulously, all the while running her fingers through her hair to remove the leaves.

Levi started to get up from his position under the tree. "Well... it's just like I had a long dream, but I can't seem to remember what it was about."

Mikasa turned around. "Levi? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

His eyes widened in shock as he lifted his hand to his eyes. "Huh?"

* * *

year 845

* * *

Levi wiped his nose with a handkerchief, distaste clearly written on his face. "Not a word to anyone," he warned, "they don't need to know I've been crying."

"I won't," promised Mikasa. "Still... You had tears in your eyes for no good reason. Maybe you should let your dad have a look?"

The boy's eyes narrowed. "Are you mad?! Like hell I'd tell him about that."

All of a sudden, a face loomed over his shoulder like a titan over its prey.

"What have you been crying about, Levi?"

Levi's leg was already halfway to the intruder's face before he realized who it was. "Hannes-san!"

It was a man wearing a military uniform. "Did Mikasa get mad at you for some reason?"

Levi dropped his leg, but took out an air freshener. "You stink of booze," he said, spraying the air. He then noticed Hannes's co-workers sitting on a stack of boxes, laughing and drinking. "And you're still going at it."

"Why don't you join us?" Hannes said. Mikasa had a not-impressed face on.

So did Levi. "What about work? Are you slacking off?"

"Oh! Today we man the gates! We're supposed to stay here all day, so it doesn't take long before we get hungry, as well as thirsty. Alcohol happens to be part of the drinks sometimes, but that's nothing to write home about." Hannes looked down at the two children, arms akimbo and face flushed.

Levi tightened his fists. "And when the situation calls for it, how are you supposed to fight?"

Hannes turned to glance at his comrades, before looking back at the duo. "The situation? What situation?"

"It's obvious... When 'they' break the wall and enter the city, that's when!"

Hannes grabbed his head. "Oi, Levi, don't just shout out like that!"

One of the other soldiers looked disdainfully at Levi. "Hahaha, it's good to be wholesome, eh, Doctor's son?" he jeered. "Should 'they' ever break down the wall, we'll deal with it. But you see..." Here he smiled unpleasantly. "That hasn't happened once in a hundred years."

Levi protested, "But we can't let down our guards like that, it's dangerous! My father told me so!"

Hannes humored Levi a little. "Well... sure, you're probably right about that. I don't claim to know any better than Dr. Jaegar, the city's resident savior... But well, becoming a soldier might allow you a chance to see them prowling around while you're busy reinforcing the walls. But the wall is like 50 meters high, and I fail to see how 'they' will work around that."

"So you're not even ready to fight them in the first place?"

"Nope!" Hannes replied cheerfully.

Levi scowled. "What the hell? Quit calling yourselves the Stationary troops then. Wall-building squad would be more like it!"

"Yeah, sounds good! But you see, Levi... An active army's not a good thing at all. Whereas so long as we're derided as useless freeloaders, life is peaceful for everyone."

Levi had no reply to that statement. But the silence was interrupted from the soldier from before. "What Hannes said. Dang, I just can't get these guys from the Scouting Legion, going outside the walls and all that jazz... It's like they get a kick out of playing warfare or something!"

Levi's eyes shone with resolve. "Even if we can't get outside these walls, we have food and rest, and that's enough to stay alive. But a life like that... is no different than if we were stupid cattle."

Mikasa and Levi walked away.

A soldier snorted. "Heh, there's a weird little guy."

Hannes stared at their figures, walking away quickly. "He can't possibly be contemplating the idea of engaging into the scouting legion, is he?"

* * *

"Levi," Mikasa said, "You'd better forget about the Scouting Legion."

Levi snapped back, "What's this, you're going to make fun of them too?"

Mikasa stared at Levi's furious face. "It's not so much about making fun of them or anything-"

Bells began to ring loudly in the streets. The two lifted their heads up to hear a man shouting, "THE SCOUTING LEGION IS BACK! OPENING THE FRONT GATE! THE HEROES RETURN VICTORIOUS!"

Levi grabbed Mikasa's hand. "Let's go, Mikasa!" he said, dragging her down the street.

An enormous crowd gathered by the gate. Levi swore. "Too many people, dammit. I can't see a thing."

"You're just too short is all," Mikasa said.

Levi had a pinched look on his face, but not even Mikasa's 'short' commentary would ruin this moment. He climbed up a box to see over the heads of the crowd.

A line of soldiers marched through, gloominess painted on their faces. One rode on a horse, and his arm was in a sling.

Mikasa and Levi looked on, horrified.

A soldier, his eye patched up but still bleeding, leaning against another... A man who lost his right arm being carried like a corpse... Yet another, with bandages over mouth that still dribbled with blood...

The crowd talked loudly. "So few of them are returning." "It's been awful this time as well." "There were over 100 of them when they departed." "They aren't even twenty. Did everyone else... get devoured?"

A voice rose over the rest. "BROWN! BROWN!" A lone woman pushed her way through the crowd and to the line of defeated soldiers. "Excuse me... My son... I CAN'T SEE MY SON BROWN! What happened to him?" Her knees buckled midway through her question, and she looked up to the soldier she was talking to as if he would tell her that Brown was perfectly alright, and she just didn't see him yet.

He didn't. "That's Brown's mom!" he said, facing his other soldiers. "Bring it here."

A woman went to a horse and took out a lumpy package wrapped up in cloth. The soldier gave it to the forlorn mother.

"Uh?" she said. She unwrapped the package to see a single hand, curled up as if trying to grab for something... a weapon? A friend's hand? Hope?

The soldier told the woman that that was all they were able to recover.

The mother hugged the hand to her chest, and broke out in a heart-breaking wail. Levi and Mikasa looked on, they couldn't turn away from the sight.

"But... My son... My son has been useful, hasn't he?" Tears streamed down her face as she asked.

The soldier stood, not sure how to speak.

"IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANYTHING OUTSTANDING! HE CONTRIBUTED! HIS DEATH CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS HUMANKIND'S RETALIATION, DID IT NOT?"

The soldier knelt down in front of the woman. "Of course..." but his face told a different story. "No... The exploration... This time again, we..." tears built up in his eyes. "IT WAS ALL FOR NAUGHT! WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY PROGRESS AT ALL! I've been nothing but an incompetent, toying around with the lives of our soldiers! WE COULDN'T FIND OUT WHERE THEY COME FROM! WE DIDN'T DISCOVER THE FIRST THING ABOUT THEM!"

The crowd's voices raised to higher decibels. "This is horrible." "To think they could have lived out peaceful lives inside the wall. They would've been fine..." "Our taxes could be better spent than on those soldiers. What a waste..."

"So true... As it is, our taxes essentially serve to fatten 'them' up by sending out our men as free meals."

Levi kicked the man in the head, bringing him down for the count. Nearby, a person screamed, "You goddamn kid! What do you think you're doing?"

Mikasa grabbed Levi and ran as fast as possible in the other direction. Levi was strong, but not even he could fight against that many people.

"Hey!" said Levi, "That's enough!"

Mikasa tossed him against a wall. Levi stopped himself in time, but the pack on his back did not survive the impact.

"What's the big idea? The firewood's all scattered now!"

"Levi," Mikasa said, glancing up at him. "You were planning on entering the Scouting Legion... You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

They stood at a standstill before Levi turned away. "Help me clean this up," he said, gesturing to the mess scattered on the ground.

* * *

"We're home," they called as they entered the wooden house.

Their parents were in the kitchen. Mrs. Jaegar was washing dishes, and Dr. Jaegar was reading a book at the table.

"Welcome home," Dr. Jaegar said.

"You're late, children," Mrs. Jaegar stated.

Mikasa started to put away the firewood, leaving Levi to explain the situation.

"It's a stupid story," he said. He turned to his father to change the subject. "You're about to leave?"

"Yep," his dad replied. "I'm off to town, for a couple of examinations."

Mikasa looked blankly at the two males of the house.

"Levi said he wanted to enter the Scouting Legion..."

Levi stared at Mikasa with betrayal in his eyes. "Mikasa, I told you to keep that quiet," he said, his voice dangerously sharp.

Their mother cried, "Levi!" She rushed over to him, grabbing his shoulders. "What are you thinking? Of all the people who got outside these walls, do you have any idea how many died?"

Levi replied, "Yes, I do."

Dr. Jaegar looked at him contemplatively. "Levi... Why do you want to go outside?"

He glanced at his father, uncertain as to whether he should tell the truth.

"I want to know what's going on out there. I'd hate to live my entire life inside these walls, as an ignorant! And... If no one here wants to pick up where they left off, all the people who laid down their lives so far would have done so in vain."

Dr. Jaegar stood up. "I see... The ship will be there soon. I'll be on my way now."

"Wait, honey!" Mrs. Jaegar called. "Talk some sense into Levi!"

He stopped in his tracks. "Carla... When somebody's on a quest, there's no such thing as talking them down." He turned to Levi. "Levi, when I get back, there's that room in the basement, which I've always kept secret. Well, I'll show it to you."

Levi looked sidelong as his father, attempting to figure out what he was doing. "For real?" he asked.

Dr. Jaegar waved goodbye.

Once he was out of sight, Carla Jaegar turned to her son. "Levi," she said.

"What?" he asked, still slightly irritated.

"I insist, it's not happening. Only a fool would consider joining the Scouting Legion."

Levi turned, his teeth grinding. "A fool, you say?" He started walking down the steps. "As far as I'm concerned, those who would buy their own safety at the cost of living cooped up like cattle are ten times more foolish."

"Levi!" she called.

Mikasa looked up at her surrogate mother and back to Levi, unsure whether she should chase him or comfort her.

"Mikasa," Mrs. Jaegar said, "he has a knack of getting into trouble, so help each other out when things get out of hand."

Mikasa nodded seriously. "Uh-huh!"

* * *

A gang of boys cornered another boy up against the wall. The boy looked like a doll, with bright blonde hair cut into a bob. He had tears in his eyes, but refused to submit.

"What's the matter, heretic? If you're not happy about getting hit, just hit back!" jeered the leader.

"Li-like hell I'd do that! I'm not stooping down to your level!"

"Excuse me?"

The boy glared. "You know I'm telling the truth. That's why you have no choice but to hit me without even bothering with an actual answer. Th-that's right, you're effectively CONCEDING MY POINT, ARE YOU NOT?!"

"Clam it, you smartass!" He raised his fist high up.

A foot collided with his face, and he fainted on the floor.

The owner of the foot faced the other two that was bullying the boy.

"AH! It's Levi!"

A moment later, they were all on the ground groaning with pain.

Mikasa stalked up behind Levi, and gave a sharp kick while walking towards the blonde.

"Are you alright, Armin?" asked Levi, seemingly nonchalant. However, he was blushing and held out a hand.

Armin pushed himself against the wall to stand. "I don't need help to stand," he said.

"Hm... Not bad," Levi replied.

* * *

The trio was now sitting on the riverbank while Armin regaled them with his story.

"And then I told them that humankind would need to go outside someday. That's when they hit me, calling me a heretic."

Levi tossed a rock into the river. It sank immediately. "Damn it, how come you get looked down upon just for mentioning you'd like to get out?"

Armin answered the rhetorical question. "Well, that's because for the 100 years we've spent inside the walls, life has always been peaceful. People are wary of screwing up and inviting 'them' in. The Royal Government has declared that manifesting any interest in the outside world would be taboo."

"Tch. The king's just a coward," Levi said, eyes narrowing in focus.

Armin pressed his chin on his hand. "You're right. But is it the only reason?"

"It's our own lives we risk. That's our business."

"I don't think so," Mikasa said. "Forget it."

The other two stared at her incredulously.

"Not happening."

"Uh?" said Armin.

Levi sat upright. "Which reminds me, what possessed you to tell on me to our parents?"

"I never said I'd cooperate," Mikasa said mildly.

Armin looked interested. "So how did it go?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly cheers and applause," Levi said, thinking about his mother's disapproval.

Armin nodded. "I can imagine that."

Levi looked at him. "Are you going to tell me to stop as well?" he demanded.

Armin sweat-dropped. "Well, it's dangerous..."

Levi looked more dangerous than any titan at the moment.

"But I do see where you're coming from. But I'm also curious about the people who do believe that staying within the walls will protect us forever. The wall may not have broken in 100 years, but there's no guarantee it won't happen today. And still..."

The earth suddenly shook violently.

"Huh?" they cried.

Armin frowned. "What the-"

"Was that an earthquake or something?" Levi questioned.

In the streets people were pointing to... something.

"Let's go have a look!" Levi said.

Armin raced ahead. He turned the corner, and stopped dead.

"Armin, what on God's green earth is-"

"Can you see something? Is that it?" They stopped where Armin was and looked.

From behind the 50 meter tall Wall Maria, smoke rose ominously. Everybody in the streets dropped whatever they were doing and stared at what would signal a new, difficult age.

A giant hand gripped the top of Maria.

"It can't be," Armin said, shaking in his figurative boots. "Tha-that wall is like 5-50 meters tall... Fifty meters..."

A giant head joined the giant hand.

Levi blinked. "Ah... it's one of 'them'... a titan."

The monstrosity overlooking the Shiganshina district looked to be human, only in ginormous portions. Its head looked like someone ripped off its skin, leaving only muscle and bone. It kicked its foot back, and smashed through the gate. Other titans, smaller-classed ones, headed to the gaping hole.

On that day, humanity remembered. The dread that was life under their rule... The humiliation of being caged like birds.

**Fin.**

* * *

**The entire thing is almost verbatim from the manga. So why did I do it? To prove that Eren Jaeger and Levi are actually very similar people. I probably won't continue this, since I think I proved my point well. And it's not really interesting either, since it doesn't deviate from the first chapter at all. Anyways, I hope you at least found it interesting for a bit.**

**ALICE: If you can do a fic w/ the same prompt only different, Ill love u 4ever. Lahel is a loser; she's so lazy she barely changed anything, not bc Levi and Eren are similar. DO IT PLZ!**


End file.
